Japan's New 'UFO Catcher' Prize: Fresh-Baked Cakes

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Japan's New 'UFO Catcher' Prize: Fresh-Baked Cakes

OSAKA, Japan — A Japanese arcade is pulling the stuffed animals out of some of its prize machines and replacing them with something that appeals to an older audience: freshly made baked goods.

One on One, an entertainment center in Osaka, offers Japan's first "sweets crane game." Alongside traditional claw vending machines full of stuffed toys and other prizes, customers can take a shot at winning fresh desserts: individually wrapped donuts, glass cups of pudding, even baumkuchen.

The customers playing these games are generally older than the average arcade-goer in Japan. The high school kids are still playing crane games hoping to snag stuffed bears, but "sweets crane" connoisseurs are mainly young married couples with children. Most told me they didn't usually try their hands at these games — but that didn't keep them from winning a few times.

Crane games, known in Japan as "UFO catchers," are a mainstay of the country's arcades. Players use a joystick to manipulate a mechanical claw over an enclosed bin full of prizes, in hopes of picking one up and getting it out of the machine. Players can snag some of One on One's cakes and pastries for just 100 yen ($1.09) each — if their crane technique is strong.

One on One's machines are refrigerated, and the treats are clearly marked with an expiration date. Many of the items are labeled: "Please eat by the end of the day."

It's tough to snag the cakes. Many Japanese machines use a flying saucer-shaped arm (hence "UFO catcher") that can be used to precisely grab the goods. But several of One on One's use free-swinging hooks, which are not as controllable. You have to hope that it swings the right way and catches the prize just right.

If you manage to pick up a dessert with the claw, a worker waiting by the machine will honk horns and ring bells to celebrate your victory. (They never tolled for me.)

Stocking prize machines with fresh baked goods might seem crazy, but One on One is onto something: These prizes cannot be collected, only consumed. And while everyone has a limit to the amount of cutesy crap they can fit into their home, there's always room for dessert.